Gatitos Café was born in the colonial city of Comayagua, Honduras, in the year 2024, as an opportunity to give my mom a job. She, at 73 years old, belongs to the elderly, and in a society where job opportunities for older people are almost nonexistent, I wanted to create something that would restore her hope and independence..
At first, we just wanted to open a small family café. We started in the garage of our house, without a name, without a plan, and with very few resources. My mom bought bread at the nearest store, and with an office percolator, we began serving coffee.
Each day we added something new, until little by little a mini homemade menu was born.
One afternoon, while we were sharing coffee, I said to my mom:
“Mom, what if we give it a name and make it themed? Everything here is so boring and there are no different cafés. We could make one like the ones in Japan, with kittens... and even bubble tea! I haven't had one in almost ten years because they don't exist here.
That's how the research began: I studied how Japanese cat cafés worked, looked for suppliers, learned to make bubble tea, and started dreaming big.
Our two cats, Ragnar and Estela, always slept in front of the café, and the neighbors would pet them or take pictures. Even though there were days when only two or three customers came in, we continued decorating with enthusiasm. I painted murals of kittens to cut costs, and soon the place began to fill with joy. Seeing the children and cat lovers smile motivated me even more.
One day, I asked my mom:
“But, what name should we give it?”
She replied, "Oh, I don't know! Which one do you want?"
And without thinking much, I wrote on a little piece of paper: "Gatitos"
“This will be the cats' café —I said—, here I can adopt more kittens.”
During our second month, one of our posts on Facebook went viral without us noticing. Three days later, I excitedly told her:
“Mom! They shared us more than 50 times!”
And in a few days, that number rose to hundreds of reactions and shares.
Shortly after, we received a surprise visit from journalist Lennin Maldonado, known for supporting local entrepreneurs. Thanks to his coverage, Gatitos Café experienced its three best weeks: visitors from different departments arrived, delighted by the feline theme and the family-friendly atmosphere.
The generosity of the customers allowed us to grow. With the tips they left after playing with Ragnar and Estela, I was able to adopt five rescued baby kittens, sick and malnourished. We took care of them, took them to the vet, and little by little, the place filled with life.
Everything was going well... until one day I received a call that no entrepreneur wants to hear.An intimidating voice demanded payment under the threat of burning down the place if we didn't pay.
It was the most terrifying week of my life. Just when we had legally registered as a business with the local chamber of commerce, our dream was threatened. I negotiated time to close and keep my mom and our cats safe. I couldn't and didn't want to maintain any ties to crime. The community we had formed was outraged and showed us immense support. After so much tribulation, I continued to care for my kittens until they recovered and I was able to find them adopters in the new region where I moved to live.
After a year and a half of searching and researching, traveling through several countries to find a new beginning, I decided to bet on El Salvador. Its safety, openness to entrepreneurship, and spirit of renewal gave me the hope I needed to move forward.
Today, with a team of seven volunteers, students, and independent professionals, we are pursuing this dream with more strength than ever.
The love for cats, empathy for people, and the desire to build an inclusive and supportive community unite us under a common mission: “To create a space where tenderness, culture, and entrepreneurship meet.”
